Screenwriting techniques Books
Edinburgh University Press Superhero Blockbusters
Book SynopsisExplores the huge commercial success of contemporary superhero blockbusters and develops a critical theory of digital-era popular seriality
£85.50
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc The Science of Screenwriting
Book SynopsisIn a world awash in screenwriting books, The Science of Screenwriting provides an alternative approach that will help the aspiring screenwriter navigate this mass of often contradictory advice: exploring the science behind storytelling strategies. Paul Gulino, author of the best-selling Screenwriting: The Sequence Approach, and Connie Shears, a noted cognitive psychologist, build, chapter-by-chapter, an understanding of the human perceptual/cognitive processes, from the functions of our eyes and ears bringing real world information into our brains, to the intricate networks within our brains connecting our decisions and emotions. They draw on a variety of examples from film and television -- The Social Network, Silver Linings Playbook and Breaking Bad -- to show how the human perceptual process is reflected in the storytelling strategies of these filmmakers. They conclude with a detailed analysis of one of the most successful and influential films ofTrade ReviewAfter reading this book, screenwriters should feel a sense of confidence ... Excellence [was achieved by] Gulino and Shears in generating new knowledge to the field of screenwriting ... A great introduction to anybody who wants to take a first step in understanding the science behind storytelling principles. * Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media *The Science of Screenwriting explores the workings of the human brain when responding to stimuli and applies these insights to the ongoing reactions of an audience to a story. From this very accessible research a canny storyteller can learn to maximize the impact of a story before an audience actually experiences it. How great is that? Using such unexpectedly helpful and yet seemingly invisible knowledge will feel to the viewer like genuine alchemy. * David Howard, author of The Tools of Screenwriting and How to Build a Great Screenplay *After reading this book, screenwriters should feel a sense of confidence, knowing that while writing a successful screenplay is a serendipitous process, their creative decisions will be grounded in science. ... It should, therefore, be no surprise that I recommend this read to all relevant stakeholders orbiting the world of screenwriting. As a screenwriter you will be met with sentences that can be described analogously to specks of gold dust. Educators may benefit from explaining the “why” behind a number of screenwriting norms that may encourage students to deliberate more seriously about particular creative decisions. And this text is, of course, a great introduction to anybody who wants to take a first step in understanding the science behind storytelling principles. * Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media *Like all good books on writing, The Science of Screenwriting is not a formula for storytelling but, rather, a set of tools and ways of thinking about story that writers can use to help them with their creative task. Not only are the tools in the book extremely useful, but they all view story through the lens of brain science – in particular, how the presentation and sequencing of events evokes emotional responses from the audience. In other words, they see story not so much as an act of self-expression but rather as a craft devoted to its consumers, the people who read stories and go to the movies. * Ross Brown, Program Director of MFA in Writing & Contemporary Media, Antioch University, Santa Barbara, USA *Analytically merging elements of cinematic storytelling with cognitive processing, Gulino and Shears’ insights are beneficial not just to screenwriters, filmmakers, and neuroscientists, but to any creative practitioner wanting deeper understandings of how to effectively communicate to audiences visually and through dialogue. And the icing on the cake is that it’s a completely accessible, fun read! * Mark Evan Schwartz, Associate Professor of Screenwriting Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television, USA and author of How to Write: A Screenplay *Table of ContentsACKNOWLEDGEMENTS INTRODUCTION; or, Should I Save The Cat and Send the Hero On His Journey? 1: The Science of information flow, or, I say Schema, You say Schemata: Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up 2: The Science of Connecting to the Main Character, or, Why Do I Worry That A Meth Dealer Might Get Caught? 3: Science of Contrast, or, why the big huge spaceship followed the little tiny space ship in the opening of Star Wars 4: The Science of Exposition, or, What’s Wrong With An Information Dump? 5: Science of Cause and Effect, or, Did the Packers Really Lose Because I Didn’t Wear My Cheesehead Hat? 6: The Science of Shared Attention, or If I Write A Screenplay In Which A Tree Falls in the Forest, And The Reader Falls Asleep Halfway Through, Have I Written A Screenplay? 7: The Science of Conflict, or, What’s Wrong with Watching Two Hours of People Just Getting Along and Helping Each Other? 8: Science of Imagination: Temporal Lobes, How to Think Creatively, Stages of Mind, or, Your Dope-Fueled Imaginings 9: The Structure Question, or, How Many Acts Does It Take To Sell A Script? 10: Star Wars, or, How George Did It
£23.99
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc Being There and the Evolution of a Screenplay
Book SynopsisBeing There and the Evolution of a Screenplay provides an insightful look at the drafting of one of Hollywood history's greatest scripts. Being There (1979) is generally considered the final film in Hal Ashby's triumphant 1970s career, which included the likes of Harold and Maude (1971) and Shampoo (1975). The film also showcases Peter Sellers's last great performance. In 2005, the Writers Guild of America included Being There on its list of 101 Best Scripts.Being There and the Evolution of a Screenplay features three versions of the script: an early draft by Jerzy Kosinski, based on his 1970 novel; a second by long-time Ashby collaborator and Oscar-winner Robert C. Jones, which makes substantial changes to Kosinki's; and a final draft written by Jones with Ashby's assistance, which makes further structural and narrative changes. Additionally, the book features facsimile pages from one of Kosinski''s copy of the scripts that include handwrittenTrade ReviewIn this bold and ambitious work, Hunter demonstrates with great clarity the collaborative nature of the screenwriting process through an examination of one of the most celebrated screenplays of the 20th Century, Being There. Meticulously dissecting its scenes, analyzing its dialogue and showing how and why they evolved through the contribution of key creative agents over the course of several years, Being There and the Evolution of a Screenplay provides the reader with a rare opportunity to understand the creative process at the heart of Hollywood cinema. A must-read for screenwriting students! * Yannis Tzioumakis, co-editor of The Hollywood Renaissance (2018) *Table of Contents1. Introduction 2. Screenplay Introduction Being There draft by Jerzy Kosinski 3. Screenplay Introduction Being There first draft by Robert C. Jones 4. Screenplay Introduction Being There final draft by Robert C. Jones, with Hal Ashby 5. Appendix I: 'Walking on Water' Sequence Bibliography Index
£29.99
University of Minnesota Press Scenarios III: Stroszek; Nosferatu, Phantom of
Book SynopsisFor the first time in English, and in his signature prose poetry, the film scripts of four of Werner Herzog’s early works “Herzog doesn’t write traditional scripts,” Film International remarked of the master filmmaker’s Scenarios I and II. “Instead, he writes scenarios which are like a hybrid of film, fiction, and prose poetry.”Continuing a series that Publishers Weekly pronounced “compulsively readable . . . equal parts challenging and satisfying, infuriating and enlightening,” Scenarios III presents, for the first time in English, the shape-shifting scripts for four of Werner Herzog’s early films: Stroszek; Nosferatu, Phantom of the Night; Where the Green Ants Dream; and Cobra Verde. We can observe Herzog’s working vision as each of these scenarios unfolds in a form often dramatically different from the film’s final version—as, in his own words, Herzog works himself up into “this kind of frenzy of high-caliber language and concepts and beauty.”With Scenarios I and II, this volume completes the picture of Herzog’s earliest work, affording a view of the filmmaker mastering his craft, well on his way to becoming one of the most original, and most celebrated, artists in his field.
£17.99
University of Iowa Press Screenwriting for Neurotics: A Beginner's Guide to Writing a Feature-Length Screenplay from Start to Finish
Book SynopsisScreenwriting for Neurotics is a quirky and accessible handbook for beginning screenwriters. Whether you are a student in a screenwriting class or just someone who wants to try their hand at writing for fi lm or television, this handy guidebook makes the entire process simple and unintimidating. Scott Winfield Sublett, a veteran screenwriter and screenwriting teacher, walks you step by step from start to finish and helps you navigate potential and unforeseen difficulties along the way, offering handy tips and suggestions to keep you from becoming blocked or stalled.Rather than throwing you into the writing process headfirst, Sublett guides you through the various decisions you need to make— about plot, character, structure, conflict—in the order you need to make them. He explains in straightforward terms the terminology and jargon, the theory and industry standards, and dispels common myths about screenwriting that can discourage or hold back a beginning writer.Balancing theory and practice and offering valuable and insightful examples from recognizable and well-known classic and contemporary films, ranging from Casablanca to A Christmas Story to Clerks, Sublett provides the new writer with the necessary tools to successfully write a feature-length screenplay and offers a roadmap of where to go next. With an emphasis on helping a writer not just to begin, but also to finish a script, Screenwriting for Neurotics is the screenwriting book to help you actually write one.
£19.90
Michael Wiese Productions Writing the Comedy Blockbuster: The Inappropriate
Book Synopsis
£999.99
Michael Wiese Productions Beat by Beat: A Cheat Sheet for Screenwriters
Book Synopsis
£22.64
Quill Driver Books, U.S. Pitching Hollywood: How to Sell Your TV and Movie
Book SynopsisTwo successful movie and TV producers provide the reader with the tools needed to create, develop, and sell ideas to Hollywood. Producers Jonathan Koch ("Beyond the Glory") and Robert Kosberg (Deep Blue Sea) are known as the "Kings of Pitch." They currently have more than a dozen projects in development at major studios, including projects with Josh Lucas, Tobey Maguire, and Katherine Heigl.
£13.29
Quill Driver Books, U.S. Emotional Structure: Creating the Story Beneath
Book Synopsis
£20.69
Wallflower Press Screeenwriting – History, Theory and Practice
Book Synopsis
£19.80
Springer International Publishing AG The Palgrave Handbook of Screenwriting Studies
Book SynopsisThis book provides an overview of the growing field of screenwriting research and is essential reading for both those new to the field and established screenwriting scholars. It covers topics and concepts central to the study of screenwriting and the screenplay in relation to film, television, web series, animation, games and other interactive media, and includes a range of approaches, from theoretical perspectives to in-depth case studies. 44 scholars from around the globe demonstrate the range and depths of this new and expanding area of study. As the chapters of this Handbook demonstrate, shifting the focus from the finished film to the process of screenwriting and the text of the screenplay facilitates valuable new insights. This Handbook is the first of its kind, an indispensable compendium for both academics and practitioners.Table of Contents1.Introduction.- Part I: What Screenwriting ontology: Defining the screenplay and screenwriting.- 2. How to Think about Screenwriting.- 3. Screenplectics: Screenwriting as a Complex Adaptive System.- 4. Collaboration, Cooperation, and Authorship in Screenwriting aka How Many People Does It Take to Create an Author?.- 5. Acts of Reading: The Demands on Screenplay Reading.- 6. The Reality of (Screen) Characters.- 7. “We Come to Realize”: Screenwriting and Representations of Time.- 8. The Motion-Picture Screenplay as Data: Quantifying the Stylistic Differences Between Dialogue and Scene Text.- 9. Writer/Reader as Performer: Creating a Negotiated Narrative.-10. An Ontology of the Interactive Scripts.- PART II: When/Where Screenwriting Historiography.- 11. Historiographies of Screenwriting.- 12. They Actually Had Scripts in Silent Films? Researching Screenwriting in the Silent Era.- 13. Silent Screenwriting in Europe: Discourses on Authorship, Form, and Literature.- 14. When Women Wrote Hollywood: How Early Female Screenwriters Disappeared from the History of the Industry They Created. A Case Study of Four Female Screenwriters.- 15. Narrating with Music: Screenwriting Musical Numbers.- 16. Women Screenwriters of Early Sinophone Cinema: 1916–1949.- 17. A Historiography of Japanese Screenwriting.- 18. Writing Social Relevance: U.S. Television Dramas in the Civil Rights Era.- 19. Horror Bubbles: Andrés Caicedo’s Weird Screenplays.- 20. Writers as Workers: The Making of a Film Trade Union in India.- 21. The Evolving Depictions of Black South Africans in the Post-Apartheid Screenwriting Tradition.- PART III: Who Screenwriting and the Screen Industries.- 22. The International Writers’ Room: A Transnational Approach to Serial Drama Development from an Italian Perspective.- 23. Writing Online Drama for Public Service Media in the Era of Streaming Platform.- 24. Screenwriting for Children and Young Audiences.- 25. Imitations of Life? A Challenge for Black Screenwriters.- 26. Beauties and Beasts: The Representation of National Identity through Characterization in Syrian-Lebanese Pan-Arab Dramas.- 27. “That’s a Chick’s Movie!”: How Women Are Excluded from Screenwriting Work.- 28. The Different American Legal Structures for Unionization of Writers for Stage and Screen.- PART IV: How Approaches to Screen Storytelling.- 29. Random Access Memories: Screenwriting for Games.- 30. “Everybody Chips in Ten Cents, and Somehow It Seems to Add Up to a Dollar”: Exploring the Visual Toolbox for Animation Story Design.- 31. The Short-Form Scripted Serial Drama: The Novice Showrunner’s New Opportunity.- 32. The Plural Protagonist. Or: How To Be Many and Why.- 33. The Haptic Encounter: Scripting Female Subjectivity.- 34. Script Development from the Inside Looking Out. Telling a Transnational Story in the Australian Films 33 Postcards (Chan, 2011) and Strange Colours (Lodkina, 2017).- 35. Extended How? Narrative Structure in the Short and Long Versions of The Lord of the Rings, Kingdom of Heaven, and Dances with Wolves.- PART V: How To Researching and Teaching Screenwriting: Discourses and Methods.- 36. Film Dramaturgy: A Practice and a Tool for Researchers.- 37. Screenwriting Pedagogy in the United States: In Search of the Missing Pieces.- 38. Screenwriting Manuals and Pedagogy in Italy from the 1930s to the End of the 20th Century.- 39. Screenwriting, Short Film, and Pedagogy.- 40. Screenwriters in the Academy: The Opportunities of Research-Led Practice.
£189.99
Columbia University Press Chushingura The Treasury of Loyal Retainers A Puppet Play
Book SynopsisChushingura (The Treasury of Loyal Retainers), also known as the story of the Forty-Six (or Forty-Seven) Ronin, is the most famous and perennially popular of all Japanese dramas. Written in the eighteenth century as a puppet play, it is now best known through Kabuki theater performances.This edition includes a new preface, introduction, and notes.Trade ReviewThrough his graceful, resourceful translations and his elegant, exhaustive scholarly books, [Keene] is almost single-handedly responsible for the current popularity of Japanese literature in English-speaking countries. The New YorkerTable of ContentsForeword, by Wm. Theodore de BaryPreface to the Second Paperback EditionPrefaceIntroductionChushingura (The Treasury of Loyal Retainers)Works Consulted
£999.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd Raindance Writers Lab Write Sell the Hot
Book SynopsisIf you''re looking for a straightforward, practical, no-nonsense guide to scriptwriting that will hold your hand right the way through the process, read on! The Raindance Writers'' Lab guides you through the tools that enable you to execute a strong treatment for a feature and be well on the way to the first draft of your script.Written by the creator of the Raindance Film Festival himself, Elliot Grove uses a hands-on approach to screenwriting based on his many years of experience teaching the subject for Raindance training. He uses step-by-step processes illustrated with diagrams and charts to lend a visual structure to the teaching. Techniques are related to real-life examples throughout, from low budget to blockbuster films.The Companion Website contains interviews with British writers and directors as well as a handy series of legal contracts, video clips and writing exercises.In this brand neTrade ReviewThis is an invaluable manual for the first-time screenwriter. A guide that takes in every aspect of the screenwriting process.--Ayub Khan-Din, Writer for East is EastAn authoritative guide full of wit and wisdom, through which Grove's personality shines.--Justin Bowyer, Total FilmTable of ContentsChapter 1 Introduction; Chapter 2 Seven Elements of Your Script; Chapter 3 Getting Your Ideas on to Paper; Chapter 4 Tale Assembly; Chapter 5 Characters; Chapter 6 Scene Writing; Chapter 7 Dialogue; Chapter 8 Writing for Short Films; Chapter 9 The Writer's Blueprint; Chapter 10 Marketing Your Script; Chapter 11 000 Monkeys – Copyright; Chapter 12 The Movie Game; Chapter 13 The Power File; Chapter 14 Pitching; Chapter 15 Eight–Line Letter; Chapter 16 The Deal; Chapter 17 The Life of a Screenwriter; Chapter 18 Script Format and Style Guide; Chapter 19 Troubleshooting Guide; Chapter 20 Three Golden Rules;
£999.99
MO - University of Illinois Press Scripting Hitchcock
Book SynopsisCreative collaborations that gave Hitchcock his finest filmsTrade ReviewNominated for an Edgar Allan Poe Award from the Mystery Writers of America in the category of Best Critical/Biographical, 2012. "A gracefully conceived study of the role of the scriptwriter in three key works from Hitchcock's later career. Convincingly substantiating received wisdom about Hitchcock's working methods, Raubicheck and Srebnick enhance our understanding of collaborative authorship--a topic that is important not only for the study of Hitchcock but for the field as a whole."--Richard Allen, professor of cinema studies, New York University“This wonderful, sensible study should be devoured by film students of all ages. Highly recommended."--ChoiceTable of ContentsPreface The "Triptych" and the Screenplays; The Sources; From Treatment to Shooting Script; Final Drafts: The Shooting Script Afterword
£91.00
Taylor & Francis Ltd Script Analysis
Book SynopsisA comprehensive step-by-step guide to deconstructing screenplay fundamentals, this book will allow readers to understand the elements, functions, and anatomy of a screenplay. Not only will this book enable readers to accomplish a thorough analysis of a screenplay and understand the dramatic elements and their functions, but screenwriters will be able to apply these steps to their own writing. The book explores theme and premise, provides an in-depth study of character development, and breaks down the dramatic elements needed to construct a solid screenplay. It provides examples of the three-act structure, the hero's journey, and the sequence method. Furthermore, it explores how the main plot and subplots are used in a storyline and discusses the importance of setting. Finally, it reveals screenwriting techniques and tools used by professional screenwriters, such as dramatic irony, reversal, and setup/payoff. To connect with a broad range of readers, the case studies usTable of ContentsPart I. Introduction; Screenplay; Analysis; Script Analysis; Script Breakdown; Part II. Deconstructing Screenplay Fundamentals; Chapter 1: Theme & Premise; Chapter 2: Character; Chapter 3: Story; Chapter 4: Structure; Chapter 5: Setting; Chapter 6: Techniques & Tools; Part II. Script Analysis; Case Study 1: The Apartment; Case Study 2: Toy Story; Case Study 3: The Dark Knight; Case Study 4: Whiplash; Case Study 5: Get Out; Case Study 6: Lady Bird; Case Study 7: Parasite; References
£118.75
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Final Rewrite
Book SynopsisThis book offers a unique perspective on crafting your screenplay from an editor's point-of-view. Special features include before and after examples from preproduction scripts to post production final cuts, giving screenwriters an opportunity to understand how their screenplay is visualized in post production.By the time a script reaches the editing room, it has passed through many hands and undergone many changes. The producer, production designer, director, cinematographer, and actor have all influenced the process before it gets to the editor's hands. Few scripts can withstand the careful scrutiny of the editing room. This book reveals how to develop a script that will retain its original vision and intent under the harsh light of the editing console. It provides insights that writers (as well as producers and directors) need and editors can provide for a safe journey from the printed page to the final release.This book is ideal for aspiring and early career screenwTrade Review"I have nothing but praise for John Rosenberg’s The Final Rewrite which presents an extraordinary view of the filmmaking process illustrating the key creative contributions of writers and editors. This book is a must for anyone teaching screenwriting or production in the importance ofcollaboration, and corrects the common belief that directors are the sole authors of their work."Eric N.Young, Professor and Production Chair, Chapman UniversityTable of Contents1. The Final Rewrite 2. Best Intentions and Excellent Fails 3. The Well of Coverage 4. The Scene and an Approach to Dailies 5. Another Approach 6. What Writers Know 7. What Editors Know 8. Tricks of the Editor’s Trade 9. The Essence of Time 10. The Filmic Moment 11. Aspects of Dialogue 12. Dialogue and Character Issues 13. When "Cut to" Isn’t Enough 14. Following the Line 15. Formula But Not Formulaic 16. The End is the Beginning 17. Hindsight is 20/20
£152.56
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Screenwriter Activist
Book SynopsisHotel Rwanda. Philadelphia. Silkwood. Some of the most important films ever made have tackled real-world social issues, from genocide to homophobia to corporate greed. As storytellers, activist screenwriters recognize that social issues make great stories that can be gut-wrenching, heart-tugging, funny, tragic, and interesting to watch. The Screenwriter Activist helps screenwriters tell those stories in compelling, non-preachy, and inspiring ways. The Screenwriter Activist is an in-depth, practical guide, appropriate for students in intermediate or graduate screenwriting courses in Film and English Programs as well as professionals who want to write a movie that can make a difference in the world. Using examples from classic and recent popular films, The Screenwriter Activist: Explores the motivation and sensibility a screenwriter needs to embark on a social issue project Gives teTrade Review "Through her analysis and insight, Marilyn Beker inspires screenwriters to produce transformational, uplifting stories, stories that have lasting value. This book is essential reading for those writers who aspire to write screenplays with the power to make just this kind of positive, global impact." —Leslie Kreiner Wilson, Director, MFA Program in Writing for Screen & Television, Pepperdine University "Beker’s The Screenwriter Activist offers much more than the usual rehash of standard screenwriting advice. Her inventive narrative models offer the writer seven systematically designed plans for crafting believable, relevant, and pointed advocacy screenplays." —J. Dennis Bounds, Associate Professor of Cinema-TV, Regent University 'Through her analysis and insight, Marilyn Beker inspires screenwriters to produce transformational, uplifting stories, stories that have lasting value. This book is essential reading for those writers who aspire to write screenplays with the power to make just this kind of positive, global impact.' —Leslie Kreiner Wilson, Director, MFA Program in Writing for Screen & Television, Pepperdine University 'Beker’s The Screenwriter Activist offers much more than the usual rehash of standard screenwriting advice. Her inventive narrative models offer the writer seven systematically designed plans for crafting believable, relevant, and pointed advocacy screenplays.' —J. Dennis Bounds, Associate Professor of Cinema-TV, Regent University 'A step-by-step guide on how to write "social issue" films, this insightful, wonderfully crafted text provides screenwriters with a must-have tool for their writer's toolbox. Laid out in an easy to navigate format, the book not only demonstrates how to develop a social issue film through cleverly designed models but also provides myriad examples and how-to exercises. In addition, Beker (screenwriting, Loyola Marymount Univ.) examines and analyzes various social issue films, ranging from Casablanca to Hotel Rwanda, to illustrate how her models and techniques translate to the screen. With social justice and community activism at an all-time high, Beker's text proves timely, especially for screenwriters wishing to use their writing skills to make a difference in the world. Though not every writer will be interested in social issue films, the techniques Beker outlines translate easily to other film genres. This is an excellent resource for any screenwriter interested in learning more about the craft. Summing Up: Highly recommended.' —A. F. Winstead, CHOICE Table of Contents Introduction 1. Motivation 2. Taking Action 3. Inspiration 4. Character 5. On the Shoulders of Giants 6. True or False 7. Plan of Attack 8. Research 9. Getting it Made Afterglow
£135.00
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Screenwriter Activist
Book SynopsisHotel Rwanda. Philadelphia. Silkwood. Some of the most important films ever made have tackled real-world social issues, from genocide to homophobia to corporate greed. As storytellers, activist screenwriters recognize that social issues make great stories that can be gut-wrenching, heart-tugging, funny, tragic, and interesting to watch. The Screenwriter Activist helps screenwriters tell those stories in compelling, non-preachy, and inspiring ways. The Screenwriter Activist is an in-depth, practical guide, appropriate for students in intermediate or graduate screenwriting courses in Film and English Programs as well as professionals who want to write a movie that can make a difference in the world. Using examples from classic and recent popular films, The Screenwriter Activist: Explores the motivation and sensibility a screenwriter needs to embark on a social issue project Gives teTrade Review "Through her analysis and insight, Marilyn Beker inspires screenwriters to produce transformational, uplifting stories, stories that have lasting value. This book is essential reading for those writers who aspire to write screenplays with the power to make just this kind of positive, global impact." —Leslie Kreiner Wilson, Director, MFA Program in Writing for Screen & Television, Pepperdine University "Beker’s The Screenwriter Activist offers much more than the usual rehash of standard screenwriting advice. Her inventive narrative models offer the writer seven systematically designed plans for crafting believable, relevant, and pointed advocacy screenplays." —J. Dennis Bounds, Associate Professor of Cinema-TV, Regent University 'Through her analysis and insight, Marilyn Beker inspires screenwriters to produce transformational, uplifting stories, stories that have lasting value. This book is essential reading for those writers who aspire to write screenplays with the power to make just this kind of positive, global impact.' —Leslie Kreiner Wilson, Director, MFA Program in Writing for Screen & Television, Pepperdine University 'Beker’s The Screenwriter Activist offers much more than the usual rehash of standard screenwriting advice. Her inventive narrative models offer the writer seven systematically designed plans for crafting believable, relevant, and pointed advocacy screenplays.' —J. Dennis Bounds, Associate Professor of Cinema-TV, Regent University 'A step-by-step guide on how to write "social issue" films, this insightful, wonderfully crafted text provides screenwriters with a must-have tool for their writer's toolbox. Laid out in an easy to navigate format, the book not only demonstrates how to develop a social issue film through cleverly designed models but also provides myriad examples and how-to exercises. In addition, Beker (screenwriting, Loyola Marymount Univ.) examines and analyzes various social issue films, ranging from Casablanca to Hotel Rwanda, to illustrate how her models and techniques translate to the screen. With social justice and community activism at an all-time high, Beker's text proves timely, especially for screenwriters wishing to use their writing skills to make a difference in the world. Though not every writer will be interested in social issue films, the techniques Beker outlines translate easily to other film genres. This is an excellent resource for any screenwriter interested in learning more about the craft. Summing Up: Highly recommended.' —A. F. Winstead, CHOICE Table of Contents Introduction 1. Motivation 2. Taking Action 3. Inspiration 4. Character 5. On the Shoulders of Giants 6. True or False 7. Plan of Attack 8. Research 9. Getting it Made Afterglow
£35.99
University of California Press Off the Page
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Bernardi and Hoxter ... provide a scholarly exploration of the processes, complexities, and possibilities of the motion picture industry and the para-industries consuming the screenwriter's product." * CHOICE *Table of ContentsACKNOWLEDGMENTS INTRODUCTION: SCREENWRITING OFF THE PAGE 1. MILLENNIAL MANIC: CRISIS AND CHANGE IN THE BUSINESS OF SCREENWRITING 2. ATOP THE TENTPOLE: HOLLYWOOD SCREENWRITING TODAY 3. RUNNING THE ROOM: SHOWRUNNING IN EXPANDED TELEVISION 4. NEW MARKETS AND MICROBUDGETS: “INDEPENDENT” STORYTELLERS 5. SCREENWRITER 2.0: THE LEGITIMATION OF WRITING FOR VIDEO GAMES CONCLUSION: SCRIPTING BOUNDARIES NOTES INDEX
£999.99
Random House USA Inc The Church of Baseball
Book SynopsisLA TIMES BESTSELLER • From the award-winning screenwriter and director of cult classic Bull Durham, the extremely entertaining behind-the-scenes story of the making of the film, and an insightful primer on the art and business of moviemaking.This book tells you how to make a movie—the whole nine innings of it—out of nothing but sheer will.” —Tony Gilroy, writer/director of Michael Clayton and The Bourne LegacyThe only church that truly feeds the soul, day in, day out, is the church of baseball.—Annie in Bull DurhamBull Durham, the breakthrough 1988 film about a minor league baseball team, is widely revered as the best sports movie of all time. But back in 1987, Ron Shelton was a first-time director and no one was willing to finance a movie about baseball—especially a story set in the minors. The jury was still out on Kevin Costner’s leading-man potential, while Susan Sarandon was already a has-been. There were doubts. But something miraculous happened, and The Church of Baseball attempts to capture why.From organizing a baseball camp for the actors and rewriting key scenes while on set, to dealing with a short production schedule and overcoming the challenge of filming the sport, Shelton brings to life the making of this beloved American movie. Shelton explains the rarely revealed ins and outs of moviemaking, from a film’s inception and financing, screenwriting, casting, the nuts and bolts of directing, the postproduction process, and even through its release. But this is also a book about baseball and its singular romance in the world of sports. Shelton spent six years in the minor leagues before making this film, and his experiences resonate throughout this book.Full of wry humor and insight, The Church of Baseball tells the remarkable story behind an iconic film.
£15.30
University Press of America Cult Films
Book SynopsisCult Films: Taboo and Transgression looks at nine decades of cult films history within American culture. By highlighting three films per decade including a brief summary of the decade''s identity and sensibility, the book investigates the quality, ironies, and spirit of cult film evolution. The twenty-seven films selected for this study are analyzed for story content and in their respective transgressions regarding social, aesthetic, and political codes. Characteristic of this book is the notion that many exciting genres make up cult films-including horror, sci-fi, fantasy, film noir, and black comedy. Further, the book reaches out to several foreign film directors over the decades in order to view cult films as an intentional art form. Political and ideological controversies are covered; arresting back-story details that lend perspective on a film fill out the analysis and the historic framework for many film titles. The book, by emphasizing the condensed survey over decades and by chTable of ContentsPart 1 Acknowledgements Chapter 2 Introduction Chapter 3 Films from the 1920s: Phantom of the Opera, Metropolis and Un Chien Andalou Chapter 4 Films from the 1930s: Freaks, King Kong and Reefer Madness Chapter 5 Films from the 1940s: I Walked with a Zombie, Dead of Night and Beauty and the Beast Chapter 6 Films from the 1950s: Glen or Glenda, Invaders from Mars and The Incredible Shrinking Man Chapter 7 Films from the 1960s: Psycho, Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! and Rosemary's Baby Chapter 8 Films from the 1970s: El Topo, Harold and Maude and The Wicker Man Chapter 9 Films from the 1980s: Road Warrior, Blade Runner and Blue Velvet Chapter 10 Films from the 1990s: Delicatessen, Naked Lunch and Run Lola Run Chapter 11 Films from the 2000s: Hedwig & the Angry Inch, The Ring and Sin City Part 12 Conclusion Part 13 Bibliography Part 14 Index
£32.40
University Press of America Film Stories
Book SynopsisThis volume contains three new screenplays by the writer-director of the prize-winning films Nothing But a Man, The Plot Against Harry, Vengeance is Mine and Pilgrim, Farewell.Table of ContentsPart 1 Sneaking Into Eden Part 2 Been Here and Gone Part 3 Home Body
£43.20
McFarland & Company The Screenwriters Toolbox Fundamentals Methods
Book SynopsisA guide for screenwriters and those interested in the screenwriting process, with information on various facets of the screenwriter's trade. It discusses skills useful for screenwriters, including an eye for the camera, the ability to juggle pieces of a story, knowledge of acting, and unique vision.
£20.89
Hyperion Aristotles Poetics For Screenwriters
Book Synopsis
£18.74
Scarecrow Press A Guide to Critical Reviews Part IV Supplement 1
Book SynopsisDetailed history and understanding of the screenplay from 1963-1980.
£119.00
Scarecrow Press Saved from Oblivion An Autobiography The
Book SynopsisBefore being black-listed in the McCarthy era, Bernard Vorhaus was one of Hollywood''s most respected silent film writers, working for studios such as Paramount and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Not only did he cross paths with some of the brightest lights in early HollywoodGreta Garbo, Norma Shearer, D.W. Griffith, John Wayne, Laurence Olivier are some examplesbut he was a principal influence upon British filmmaker David Lean. Now in his nineties, Vorhaus recounts some of his pioneering work in film in Saved from Oblivion; he was the first director to incorporate subjective flash-backs and to use a sequence before the main titles. Recently, retrospectives of his films, such as Dusty Ermine and The Last Journey, were shown at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, as well as at the National Film Theatre and the Edinburgh Festival in England. This autobiography, replete with insight into the techniques and personas of early cinema, is an important as well as entertaining look at the early history of the medium that shaped the twentieth century. Although Vorhaus did not return to directing after he was prematurely cut from the industry in the wake of McCarthyism, he remembers his years there with nostalgia. Making films is much more exciting than anything else you can do, he says, and this book proves it.Trade ReviewVorhaus tells his life story in a novel-like fashion, peppering the narrative with moments of romance, intrigue, and high adventure...Packed with page-turning anecdotes, this is a story that truly was worth saving from oblivion. * Film Review *
£60.30
Scarecrow Press Film Stories
Book SynopsisFrom the critically-acclaimed independent filmmaker, Michael Roemer, comes Film Stories: Screenplays as Story, a highly-anticipated first collection of screenplays. Beyond film scripts, Film Stories is designed to help film students master concepts like three-act structure, conflict, surprise, rising action, and crisis, while crafting not only a story, but a story that tells. Volume One contains the screenplays for Nothing But a Man, The Plot Against Harry, Stone My Heart, and Pilgrim, Farewell. Volume One also features a comprehensive introduction entitled Beginnings, in which Roemer discusses the creation of his screenplays and includes anecdotes on the making and distribution of his films that any screenwriter or filmmaker will find invaluable. Volume Two contains the screenplays for Losing Emily, Famous Long Ago, Mortal Longings, Act of God, and Sad but Funny.Trade ReviewFor filmmakers and screenwriters, the writer and director Michael Roemer (Yale U.) discusses his highly personal approach to screenwriting. Early on, Roemer realized that the rules and conventions most frequently espoused in film schools and texts taught not how to tell a story but how to tell a story that would sell-by meeting audience expectations and avoiding any challenge to deeply held convictions. Roemer instead chose a path that didn't ensure commercial success, but that allowed his stories to unfold as an integral part of his life. Vol. 1 included a comprehensive introduction and the screenplays of Roemer's films Nothing but a man, The plot against Harry, Stone my heart, Pilgrim, farewell, and Losing Emily. * Reference and Research Book News *
£83.70
Scarecrow Press Film Stories
Book SynopsisFrom the critically-acclaimed independent filmmaker, Michael Roemer, comes Film Stories: Screenplays as Story, a highly-anticipated first collection of screenplays. Beyond film scripts, Film Stories is designed to help film students master concepts like three-act structure, conflict, surprise, rising action, and crisis, while crafting not only a story, but a story that tells. Volume One contains the screenplays for Nothing But a Man, The Plot Against Harry, Stone My Heart, and Pilgrim, Farewell. Volume One also features a comprehensive introduction entitled ''Beginnings,'' in which Roemer discusses the creation of his screenplays and includes anecdotes on the making and distribution of his films that any screenwriter or filmmaker will find invaluable. Volume Two contains the screenplays for Losing Emily, Famous Long Ago, Mortal Longings, Act of God, and Sad but Funny.Trade ReviewFor filmmakers and screenwriters, the writer and director Michael Roemer (Yale U.) discusses his highly personal approach to screenwriting. Early on, Roemer realized that the rules and conventions most frequently espoused in film schools and texts taught not how to tell a story but how to tell a story that would sell-by meeting audience expectations and avoiding any challenge to deeply held convictions. Roemer instead chose a path that didn't ensure commercial success, but that allowed his stories to unfold as an integral part of his life. Vol. 1 included a comprehensive introduction and the screenplays of Roemer's films Nothing but a man, The plot against Harry, Stone my heart, Pilgrim, farewell, and Losing Emily. * Reference and Research Book News *
£51.30
Scarecrow Press Film Stories
Book SynopsisFrom the critically-acclaimed independent filmmaker, Michael Roemer, comes Film Stories: Screenplays as Story, a highly-anticipated first collection of screenplays. Beyond film scripts, this volume (the second of two) is designed to help film students master concepts like three-act structure, conflict, surprise, rising action, and crisis, while crafting not only a story, but a story that tells. Volume Two contains the screenplays for Losing Emily, Famous Long Ago, Mortal Longings, Act of God, and Sad but Funny.Trade ReviewThis second volume in the series includes scripts for Michael Roemer's Famous long ago, Mortal longing, Act of God, and Sad but funny. Writer and director Roemer (Yale U.) provides a brief preface to each screenplay that describes his state of mid and intentions for each script as well as notes on structure. In a postscript, he reflects in the storytelling process. (The first volume in the series includes a comprehensive introduction detailing his own life story as well as the stories behind the nine collected screenplays.) * Reference and Research Book News *
£51.30
Scarecrow Press Worms in the Winecup A Memoir The Scarecrow
Book SynopsisWorms in the Winecup is the extraordinarily hard-hitting autobiography of John Bright, a screenplay writer who gained a major reputation with his first Hollywood script, Public Enemy, the classic gangster drama starring James Cagney. The book provides a vivid, often savage, commentary on Hollywood and the motion picture industry, with uncompromising portraits of Darryl F. Zanuck, Mae West, Errol Flynn, John Barrymore, B. P. Schulberg, Walter Wanger, John Howard Lawson, Elia Kazan, and countless others, including his writing partners, Kubec Glasmon and Robert Tasker. Bright writes of the Communist Party in Hollywood, the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League, and the House Committee on Un-American activities. At times bitter, at times tragic, this book is refreshingly frank and open, so much so that it could never have been published while John Bright was still alive. Bright is honest as he discusses his wartime experiences and his exile in Mexico. Complete with a filmography and an introduction by distinguished film historian Patric McGilligan, Worms in the Winecup is both entertaining and thought-provoking. An emotional and insightful read for students of political history, film scholars, screenwriters, and film enthusiasts.Trade ReviewI thoroughly enjoyed Bright's book. It jumps off the page. -- Clancy Sigal, Novelist (Going Away) and Screenwriter (Frida and In Love and War)Entertaining and revealing...A fascinating glimpse at the underbelly of Golden Age Hollywood. * Film Review *Table of ContentsChapter 1 Introduction by Patrick McGilligan Chapter 2 A Foreword Written Afterward Chapter 3 The Public Enemy: Dirt and Pay Dirt Chapter 4 Farewell Stag for a Hollywood Tycoon Chapter 5 Errol Flynn: Caliph of Bagdad Chapter 6 The Great Profile Eroded Chapter 7 Dollars and Sentiment and Pinkerton Chapter 8 The Fixed Wheel Chapter 9 The Horse of Honor Chapter 10 Liberal Producer Chapter 11 The Sad Boomerang of Good Intention Chapter 12 An Alcoholic Not Anonymous Chapter 13 Mystery Story en Passant Chapter 14 Up with the Flag Chapter 15 Hollywood Goes to War Chapter 16 Winding Down Chapter 17 The Road Back to a Different Kind of War Chapter 18 Two Who Stood Up...Two Who Fell Down Chapter 19 An End and a New Beginning Chapter 20 Unhappy Farewell to Mexico Chapter 21 Coda Chapter 22 John Bright's Last Will and Testament Chapter 23 John Bright—Storyteller by Casey Bright Chapter 24 The Films of John Bright Chapter 25 Index
£71.10
Scarecrow Press Redefining Adaptation Studies
Book SynopsisTranscending the literature/film paradigm of typical film adaptation courses, these essays focus on the idea of 'adaptation' and what it means in different socio-political contexts. This volume not only suggests how 'adaptation' might be used in different disciplines but how it might improve the learning experience for teachers and students alike.Trade ReviewA superb resource for teachers....Practical and theoretically aware; will be of service to those who teach courses that involve screen adaptation. Recommended. * CHOICE *
£56.70
The University Press of Kentucky Hitchcocks Partner in Suspense
Book Synopsis
£32.00
MW - Rutgers University Press Body Double The Author Incarnate in the Cinema
Book SynopsisExplores the myriad ways that artists and the creative process have been represented on screen. Through the exploration of many distinct forms of cinema, Lucy Fischer examines such topics as the gender, age, and mental or physical health of fictionalized artists; the dramatized interaction between artists, audiences, and critics; and the formal play of written words and nonverbal images.Trade Review"Fischer’s original, wide-ranging book shows that filmmakers have said as much or more than theorists about the complex figure of the author in modern culture." -- James Naremore * Indiana University *"Richly detailed, carefully researched, and elegantly written, Lucy Fischer’s Body Double signficantly reshapes our understanding of authorship in the cinema while exploring related issues regarding gender, style, writing, and embodiment." -- Patrice Petro * Past President, Society for Cinema and Media Studies *"Where is the author in film? In this book, Fischer offers a wide ranging, deeply informed view of the concept of authorship in cinema in all its manifestations. This brief review cannot begin to address the multitude of films, scenarists, directors, and films given detailed examination, but the manner in which Fischer discusses the films and their makers, both literary and cinematic, is authoritative and never less than richly detailed. This is a bold and adventurous book that repays multiple readings. Highly recommended." * Choice *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: The Screen Author--Wanted: Dead or Alive1. Typecasting the Author2. Beyond Adaptation: The Writer as Filmmaker3. The Author at the Dream Factory: The Screenwriter and the Movies4. The Authoress: Textuality as Sexuality5. Writing Pain: The Infirm Author6. Cinecriture: Word and Image7. Corpus and Oeuvre: Authorship and the Body8. Stealing Beauty: The Reader, the Critic, and the Appropriation of the Authorial VoiceAfterword: Signs and Meaning in the CinemaNotesFilmographyBibliographyIndex
£31.00
New York University Press Complex TV The Poetics of Contemporary
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewComplex TVis one of the most exciting books I have ever read.Each chapter contains useful and well-defined terms to put to work in formal analysis, and every argument is backed up with lively, detailed, and entertaining readings of familiar TV texts.The result is a rich and thorough piece of scholarship that will do for television studies what David Bordwells historical poetics has famously done for film. -- Robyn Warhol,co-editor of Narrative Theory Unbound: Queer and Feminist InterventionsA lucid and provocative exploration of modern television, from the inside out. -- Emily Nussbaum,television critic at the New YorkerMittell cleverly explores Complex TV on its own terms, favouring a formal analysis investigating the poetics of television series over discussing their cultural impact or interpretation of content. Looking at how television tells stories Mittell shows the contribution of technology, reception, and industry in changing television into a & lived cultural experience where different forms of & cultural engagement, are key to understanding the textuality of Complex TV. * European Journal of Media Studies *[]Mittels compelling arguments about topics such as anti-heroes and melodrama help us see the bigger picture when it comes to the small screen. * Seven Days *Table of ContentsContents Acknowledgments vii Introduction 1 1. Complexity in Context 17 2. Beginnings 55 3. Authorship 86 4. Characters 118 5. Comprehension 164 6. Evaluation 206 7. Serial Melodrama 233 8. Orienting Paratexts 261 9. Transmedia Storytelling 292 10. Ends 319 Notes 355 Index 381 About the Author 391
£999.99
House of Anansi Press Ltd ,Canada The Way of the Screenwriter
Book SynopsisA story is a living thing. And you don''t work on a living thing, you work with it. This is the way of the screenwriter, and it is something that writer and director Amnon Buchbinder believes all masterful screenwriters understand intuitively: learning how to work with story through a painstaking process of trial, error, and self exploration.Amnon Buchbinder draws on his knowledge as a teacher and his experience as a script doctor and a story editor to explore this creative process. Along the way he illustrates principles often inspired by the philosophy of Laozi (Lao Tze) with examples drawn from major motion pictures such as Memento and The Piano. For the beginning or seasoned screenwriter who aspires to more than mere competence, Buchbinder illuminates a path towards mastery of the craft. For the lover of the cinematic experience, he opens a curtain to reveal a rarely seen world behind the big screen.
£16.19
Pan Macmillan Lifes Work
Book SynopsisThe creator of Deadwood and NYPD Blue reflects on his tumultuous life, driven by a nearly insatiable creative energy and a matching penchant for self-destruction.Trade ReviewThought-provoking reflections on existence * Independent *A book full of riches [..] to fuel the reader’s creativity, full of insight into the way real art can be made, even in the most trying circumstances * New Statesman *A brilliant, emotional memoir and hymn to television screenwriting * Mail on Sunday *Life’s Work is one of the best books about television I’ve read. It’s funny, discursive, literate, druggy, self-absorbed, fidgety, replete with intense perceptions… You finish feeling you’ve really met someone. Milch was his own best creation -- Dwight Garner * The New York Times *The most gorgeously humane voice I've encountered in a work of nonfiction in a long while. I can think of few recent books that have pulsed with life this transparently, this powerfully. * Rick Moody, author of The Ice Storm *Like the best memoirs, Life's Work is intimate, exquisitely observed, and intense. But unlike most - and what sets it apart - is the heartbreak it embodies, the finality it signals. This is David Milch's farewell, and it will rock you * Susan Orlean, author of The Orchid Thief *A wise, sly, hilarious, and poignant account of a life's work in hard drugs and hard television. * Joshua Cohen, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Netanyahus *
£18.00
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Bloomsbury Introduction to Creative Writing
Book SynopsisCovering all of the major genres, The Bloomsbury Introduction to Creative Writing is a complete introductory manual for students of creative writing. Now in its second edition, the book features an updated and expanded chapter on writing for digital media, and new exercises for reading across the genres and writing hybrid forms. Through a structured series of practical writing exercises perfect for the classroom, the writer's workshop or as a starting point for a portfolio of work the book builds the student writer from the first explorations of voice and the relationship between writing and knowledge, through to mastery of a wide range of genres and forms. The Bloomsbury Introduction to Creative Writing covers such genres as: Autobiographical writing Short fiction Poetry Screenwriting and writing for performance Writing for digital media, including video games and social media With practical guidance on writing scholarly critiques of your own work and a glossaryTable of ContentsIntroduction: The Knowing Writer On writing On knowing Tips on attacking the practical exercises 1. Writing and Knowledge The writers' block myth The reading writer Knowing Your writer self Emotion as material 2. Writing the Self Memoir and autobiography Reflective writing Human interest features Personal essays, and 'Why I Write' 3. Poetics and Poetry Composition Poetic movements: An abridged whirlwind history Poetry as 'language distilled' Sound devices Poetry and orality Form and meaning Finding your poem 4. Fiction Conventions Fiction and creativity: The anecdote, the muse and the visionary Often forgotten forms of fiction Ideas and themes Narrative structure Narrative structure toolbox Plot and conflict Characterization Setting: Time, place and context Finding your voice Genre fiction 5. Screenwriting Screenwriting as literary form The slug line Action Dialogue Characterization Theme and narrative Screenwriting technical toolbox 6. Writing for Performance Performance as hybrid art One-act plays Monologue and soliloquy Spoken word 7. Writing for Digital Media The dark side of digital content Digital storytelling Video scripts for social media Writing for video games Writing for virtual reality Web 2.0 and journalism as conversation Online media toolbox Personal publishing 8. Critique and Exegesis Critique Referencing scholarly texts Referencing creative texts Analyzing your creative work Conclusions Critique writing toolbox Exegesis Exegesis research methods Identifying your exegetical thesis Hermeneutics and close reading as primary research Exegesis planning and structure Linking creative and scholarly writing Glossary of Terms Works Cited Index
£999.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Creative Screenwriter
Book SynopsisCreativity is becoming increasingly important in an age of advanced audience sophistication. It's no longer enough to follow standard writing techniques - becoming a first-class screenwriter demands not only a command of craft, but an understanding of how to unleash and harness creativity. The Creative Screenwriter offers a wealth of inspiring writing exercises designed to help you produce better, more exciting scripts. Each essential area of screenwriting is covered in its own chapter, from learning how to build stories and finding good ideas, to deepening characters and experimenting with structure, to enhancing scene writing and improving pitching. Finally, a range of innovative DIY Script Surgeries encourage you to find solutions to common screenwriting problems, such as overcoming writer's block, managing the rewrite and selling your work. This is a book to return to again and again. It is a guide for aspiring screenwriters who want to develop a powerful writing practice; a manualTrade ReviewA manual for teachers and students seeking inspiring exercises to encourage discussion, and a handbook for professionals wanting to hone their craft. * Writers Forum *
£999.99
Rowman & Littlefield The Walking Dead Live
Book SynopsisIn 2010, The Walking Dead premiered on AMC and has since become the most watched scripted program in the history of basic cable. Based on the graphic novel series by Robert Kirkman, The Walking Dead provides a stark, metaphoric preview of what the end of civilization might look like: the collapse of infrastructure and central government, savage tribal anarchy, and purposeless hordes of the wandering wounded. While the representation of zombies has been a staple of the horror genre for more than half a century, the unprecedented popularity of The Walking Dead reflects an increased identification with uncertain times.In The Walking Dead Live! Essays on the Television Show, Philip L. Simpson and Marcus Mallard have compiled essays that examine the show as a cultural text. Contributors to this volume consider how the show engages with our own social practicesfrom theology and leadership to gender, race, and politicsas well as how the show reflects matters of masculinity, memory, and survivTrade ReviewThe Walking Dead Live!: Essays on the Television Show, edited by Philip L. Simpson and Marcus Mallard, illustrates the depth and breadth in which critical analysis has also evolved to parallel the zombie’s stature in American culture.... With America’s fascination and fear of Others/others, readers will find this anthology a useful research and teaching tool. * Journal of American Culture *
£76.50
Rowman & Littlefield Breaking Bad
Book SynopsisAs one of the most critically acclaimed shows of all time, Breaking Bad explored the life and crimes of a high school chemistry teacher turned meth kingpin of the American Southwest. As Walter White and his former student Jesse Pinkman become deeply entwined in the drug world, their narrative leaves a trail of bodies strewn across the show's five seasonsa story that resulted in more than 15 Emmy awards.In Breaking Bad: A Cultural History, Lara C. Stache offers an engaging analysis of the program, focusing on the show's fascinating characters and complex story lines. Stache gives the show its due reverence, but also suggests new ways of understanding and critiquing the series as a part of the larger culture in which it exists. The author looks at how the program challenges viewers to think about the choices made in the narrative, analyzes what did and did not work, and determines the program's cultural significance, particularly its place in twenty-first century America.The author alsoTrade ReviewThis entry in the 'Cultural History of Television' series is a stunning dissection of Breaking Bad, the critically acclaimed AMC TV series following Walter White's (Bryan Cranston) path from schoolteacher to drug lord. Stache's debut is both a close reading of the series and a delight for fans as she analyzes the market and fandom while also highlighting intense Internet speculation over promotional posters as one example of audience engagement. Stache delves into whether Walter is an antihero or outright villain, illustrates how binge watching on Netflix increased the viewer numbers, and takes a close look at the supporting cast in relation to the main character. Finally, the author concludes with a self-proclaimed 'opinionated compendium' of episode synopses. Never losing her witty voice, she guides readers through a well-researched discussion of what made this a landmark series. VERDICT Stache manages a scholarly take on a television show about the meth trade and turns it into a fast, fun read , making this a essential for fans of the show. * Library Journal *Although its last episode aired in 2013, enthusiasm continues unabated for Breaking Bad, the TV show about a dying high-school chemistry teacher who begins to cook meth. Stache’s book has three parts, the first on Walter White and his alter ego Heisenberg; the next, on the show’s cultural significance; and the last on the role each character plays in Walter White’s life. Stache posits that Walt is neither antihero or villain but a wholly new kind of character. He’s deeply flawed and ultimately evil, but he earns viewers’ loyalty and admiration. Walt’s bad choices are distinct from those of his partner, Jesse, whom viewers also love, but who has more redeeming qualities. Stache offers a plausible explanation of why most viewers hate Walt’s wife, Skyler, suggesting that the writing did not do her character justice in early episodes. With its notes and bibliography and an ‘opinionated compendium’ on each episode, the book should make any fan appreciate its exploration of the much-loved series ‘as part of the larger culture in which it exists.’ * Booklist *A recent addition to the new "Cultural History of Television" series centers on the award-winning television series Breaking Bad, which ran on the American Movie Channel from 2008 to 2013, and continues to find new viewers on Netflix. Stache (Governors State Univ.), who states that she has been a loyal fan of the show since its inception, has written a detailed analysis of the series, which revolves around the character of an American high school chemistry teacher in the Southwest, Walter White. Upon learning he has a terminal illness, White enters the methylamine drug world to make money to support his wife and children after his death. His personal transition from teacher to drug lord and his role as the protagonist are examined through five seasons. In nine chapters, Stache describes how the writers scripted the series, evaluates in detail the main characters, discusses the role of culture in an evaluation of the success of the show, and concludes with a chapter of the episodes with a compendium. This is a readable book for general fans of the show and is also an academic look at culture and television. * CHOICE *
£35.10
McFarland & Co Inc The Rules of Screenwriting and Why You Should
Book Synopsis A couple of generations ago, the movie industry ran on gut instinct--film schools, audience research departments and seminars on screenwriting were not yet de rigueur. Today the standard is the analytical approach, intended to demystify filmmaking and guarantee success (or at least minimize failure). The trouble with this method is that nobody knows how to do it--they just think they do--and films are made based on models of predictability rather than the merits of the script. This insider''s look at the craft and business of screenwriting explodes some of the popular myths, demonstrating how little relevance the rules have to actual filmmaking. With long experience in film and television, the author provides insightful how-not-to analyses, with commentary by such veterans as Josh Sapan (CEO of AMC Networks), bestselling author Adriana Trigiani and Oscar-nominated screenwriter Nicholas Pileggi (Goodfellas).
£17.59
Hal Leonard Corporation The Only Woman in the Room Episodes in My Life
Book SynopsisTHE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM: EPISODES IN MY LIFE AND CAREER AS A TELEVISION WRITER
£22.50
Lexington Books Screenplay and Narrative Theory
Book SynopsisScreenplay and Narrative Theory draws attention to the notion that in order to comprehend complex narrative dynamics, which are encountered in a great variety of narrative genres, forms, and formats, a more comprehensive theory of narrative is required. George Varotsis explains how a work of narrative functions synergistically and systemically, as well as elucidates the heuristic problem-solving mechanisms that are employed in various structural levels of thought processes, which allow the coherent accumulative derivative we call a story to emerge. The transition from an empirical to theoretical perspective is achieved by introducing characteristics of complex narrative systems: a network of narrative components, i.e. characters, structure, goals, motivations, theme, plot and subplots, narrative action, etc., which are arranged hierarchically over three fundamental levels of structure, i.e. deep, intermediate, and surface structure, that interact parallel to one another in non-linearTrade ReviewVarotsis is himself a screenwriter, and he addresses some of narratology’s traditional questions from that perspective—problem solving through the process of writing and analyzing complex narratives. One of his concerns is moving beyond a 'story grammar' perspective toward a 'plot-algorithm' perspective. Plot algorithms allow the screenwriter, or creators of narrative, to analyze and account for more complex narratives. The volume includes numerous figures, story sequences, and graphs that map out visually—and elucidate—the aspects of narrative or plot algorithms the author describes. Varotsis's focus on character as a key element of narrative study is useful. . . .[T]he author engage[s] productively with the works of a number of important narrative and film theorists, placing the work here in clear dialogue with others. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students, researchers, faculty, practitioners. * CHOICE *Why do some films soar to new creative heights and others spiral vertiginously downward? It’s all in the screenplay, as film practitioner George Varotsis so expertly and exquisitely explains. In this premier and pioneering study, Varotsis deftly weaves through the great thinkers of film and narrative theory—while grabbing insights from cognitive science—to unzip screenplay writing and examine the brains of those masterful homo fabers that take us into new transformative spaces. Take a leap with this one—you’ll take flight! -- Frederick Aldama, Ohio State University, author of Mex-Cine and The Cinema of Robert RodriguezTable of ContentsChapter One: The Narrative Landscape of Screenplectics Chapter Two: Universality of Structure and the Three-Act Paradigm Chapter Three: A Holistic and Systemic Approach Chapter Four: Internal Narrative Complexity Chapter Five: Story-world Configuration and Architectural Differentiation Chapter Six: Goal-orientation: A Key Component of Narrative Parameterization Chapter Seven: The Three Levels of Structure
£73.80
Lexington Books Screenplay and Narrative Theory
Book SynopsisScreenplay and Narrative Theory draws attention to the notion that in order to comprehend complex narrative dynamics, which are encountered in a great variety of narrative genres, forms, and formats, a more comprehensive theory of narrative is required. George Varotsis explains how a work of narrative functions synergistically and systemically, as well as elucidates the heuristic problem-solving mechanisms that are employed in various structural levels of thought processes, which allow the coherent accumulative derivative we call a story to emerge. The transition from an empirical to theoretical perspective is achieved by introducing characteristics of complex narrative systems: a network of narrative components, i.e. characters, structure, goals, motivations, theme, plot and subplots, narrative action, etc., which are arranged hierarchically over three fundamental levels of structure, i.e. deep, intermediate, and surface structure, that interact parallel to one another in non-linearTrade ReviewWhy do some films soar to new creative heights and others spiral vertiginously downward? It’s all in the screenplay, as film practitioner George Varotsis so expertly and exquisitely explains. In this premier and pioneering study, Varotsis deftly weaves through the great thinkers of film and narrative theory—while grabbing insights from cognitive science—to unzip screenplay writing and examine the brains of those masterful homo fabers that take us into new transformative spaces. Take a leap with this one—you’ll take flight! -- Frederick Aldama, Ohio State University, author of Mex-Cine and The Cinema of Robert RodriguezVarotsis is himself a screenwriter, and he addresses some of narratology’s traditional questions from that perspective—problem solving through the process of writing and analyzing complex narratives. One of his concerns is moving beyond a 'story grammar' perspective toward a 'plot-algorithm' perspective. Plot algorithms allow the screenwriter, or creators of narrative, to analyze and account for more complex narratives. The volume includes numerous figures, story sequences, and graphs that map out visually—and elucidate—the aspects of narrative or plot algorithms the author describes. Varotsis's focus on character as a key element of narrative study is useful. . . .[T]he author engage[s] productively with the works of a number of important narrative and film theorists, placing the work here in clear dialogue with others. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students, researchers, faculty, practitioners. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsChapter One: The Narrative Landscape of Screenplectics Chapter Two: Universality of Structure and the Three-Act Paradigm Chapter Three: A Holistic and Systemic Approach Chapter Four: Internal Narrative Complexity Chapter Five: Story-world Configuration and Architectural Differentiation Chapter Six: Goal-orientation: A Key Component of Narrative Parameterization Chapter Seven: The Three Levels of Structure
£36.90
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc Writing for Animation
Book SynopsisAnimation is one of the fastest growing mediums in the film and television world whether it's Frozen or Paw Patrol, Family Guy or Rick and Morty. This book is the definitive guide to storytelling for writers, directors, storyboard artists and animators. Suitable for both the student and the professional, it provides indispensable knowledge on the entire process of writing for animated movies, TV series and short films. The reader will be provided with all the tools necessary to produce professional quality scripts that will start, or further, their career in animation. Beginning with the fundamentals of why animation?' this book will lead the reader through a series of principles that will raise the level of their storytelling. These principles are tried and tested on a daily basis by the authors who have a twenty-year track record in the animation industry.Many people are trying to break into the world of writing for animation and a lot of the people who aTrade ReviewProvides indispensable knowledge on the entire process of writing for animated movies or TV series. * Writers' Forum *A thought-provoking insight into the nuances of animation script writing. Paul and Laura lay out the tools you’ll need to create a robust three act story with rich, engaging characters in an immersive world. Through case studies and exercises, stories are deconstructed, characters interrogated and the production and feedback processes demystified. * Chris Rose, Vice President for Animation Production and Development at Nickelodeon International *Table of Contents1. Let's Get Going! 2. All about Goals 3. The Three Act Structure 4. Emotion 5. Jeopardy 6. Creating Characters 7. Finding the Funny 8. Dialogue Workshop 9. Understanding your Technology 10. Directing on the Page 11. Specifics of Writing for Children 12. Writing for an Existing Show 13. Writing the Movie 14. Creating a Show that Works 15. Collaboration 16. The Pitch 17. Four Top Tips Bibliography Index
£999.99
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc Writing for Animation
Book SynopsisAnimation is one of the fastest growing mediums in the film and television world whether it's Frozen or Paw Patrol, Family Guy or Rick and Morty. This book is the definitive guide to storytelling for writers, directors, storyboard artists and animators. Suitable for both the student and the professional, it provides indispensable knowledge on the entire process of writing for animated movies, TV series and short films. The reader will be provided with all the tools necessary to produce professional quality scripts that will start, or further, their career in animation. Beginning with the fundamentals of why animation?' this book will lead the reader through a series of principles that will raise the level of their storytelling. These principles are tried and tested on a daily basis by the authors who have a twenty-year track record in the animation industry.Many people are trying to break into the world of writing for animation and a lot of the people who aTrade ReviewProvides indispensable knowledge on the entire process of writing for animated movies or TV series. * Writers' Forum *A thought-provoking insight into the nuances of animation script writing. Paul and Laura lay out the tools you’ll need to create a robust three act story with rich, engaging characters in an immersive world. Through case studies and exercises, stories are deconstructed, characters interrogated and the production and feedback processes demystified. * Chris Rose, Vice President for Animation Production and Development at Nickelodeon International *Table of Contents1. Let's Get Going! 2. All about Goals 3. The Three Act Structure 4. Emotion 5. Jeopardy 6. Creating Characters 7. Finding the Funny 8. Dialogue Workshop 9. Understanding your Technology 10. Directing on the Page 11. Specifics of Writing for Children 12. Writing for an Existing Show 13. Writing the Movie 14. Creating a Show that Works 15. Collaboration 16. The Pitch 17. Four Top Tips Bibliography Index
£999.99
Rowman & Littlefield A Guide to Screenwriting Success: Writing for
Book SynopsisA Guide to Screenwriting Success, Second Edition provides a comprehensive overview of writing—and rewriting—a screenplay or teleplay and writing for digital content. Duncan's handy book teaches new screenwriters the process of creating a professional screenplay from beginning to end. It shows that inspiration, creativity, and good writing are not elusive concepts but attainable goals that any motivated person can aspire to. Duncan includes sections on all aspects of screenwriting—from character development to story templates—and breaks down the three acts of a screenplay into manageable pieces. A Guide to Screenwriting Success contains dozens of exercises to help writers through these steps. The second half of Duncan's practical book covers another, often overlooked, side of screenwriting—the teleplay. Aspiring writers who also want to try their hand at writing for television will need to learn the specifics of the field. The book breaks down this area into two parts, the one-hour teleplay and the situation comedy. There is a section on writing and producing digital content that embraces the “Do It Yourself” attitude to approaching a career in the entertainment industry. Success in screenwriting is no longer a dream but an achievable goal for those who pick up Duncan's guide.
£72.90
Rowman & Littlefield A Guide to Screenwriting Success: Writing for
Book SynopsisA Guide to Screenwriting Success, Second Edition provides a comprehensive overview of writing—and rewriting—a screenplay or teleplay and writing for digital content. Duncan's handy book teaches new screenwriters the process of creating a professional screenplay from beginning to end. It shows that inspiration, creativity, and good writing are not elusive concepts but attainable goals that any motivated person can aspire to. Duncan includes sections on all aspects of screenwriting—from character development to story templates—and breaks down the three acts of a screenplay into manageable pieces. A Guide to Screenwriting Success contains dozens of exercises to help writers through these steps. The second half of Duncan's practical book covers another, often overlooked, side of screenwriting—the teleplay. Aspiring writers who also want to try their hand at writing for television will need to learn the specifics of the field. The book breaks down this area into two parts, the one-hour teleplay and the situation comedy. There is a section on writing and producing digital content that embraces the “Do It Yourself” attitude to approaching a career in the entertainment industry. Success in screenwriting is no longer a dream but an achievable goal for those who pick up Duncan's guide.
£36.90
